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10. Community Renewables
Vision :
- To maximise the benefits for communities from renewable energy, not only in terms of access to locally produced low carbon energy, but in terms of social cohesion and economic development.
Headline Ambitions:
- added value for communities: including, increased skills base for local trades, a stronger partnership within communities delivering wider social and economic benefits from renewable projects, and greater awareness within communities of renewables and climate change;
- a reduction in reliance on imported energy by making communities more self sufficient on meeting their own energy needs, particularly in off-gas grid areas;
- an increase in renewable energy capacity in Scotland, contributing towards renewable targets in Scotland;
- a reduction in energy bills.
Overview
There is a high level of interest and enthusiasm within Scottish communities for developing their own energy projects, both as individual householders and as organised groups. These projects can bring real benefits to communities, helping to address energy costs and making a significant contribution towards Scotland's renewable energy and carbon targets.
There are a number of different models for wider community engagement in renewables which involve varying degrees of impact and risk and different ways of defining communities/ distributing benefits. It is for each community to decide which model best suits their needs, and there may particularly be a case for different modes of engagement and different solutions in rural and urban areas.
The different models include: 100% ownership by the community group, voluntary community benefit "windfall" payment offered by the commercial developer, joint ventures or mixed ownership via a community body or co-ops. It should be noted that while policy support is primarily focused on maximising benefits in local communities, there is a wider definition of "community benefit", typified by the co-op model, and supported by Co-operative Development Scotland, which includes communities of interest, not confined to a single locality.
It is critical that developers understand the needs of communities and engage in appropriate public consultation in order to reflect the interests across communities. The community engagement requirement placed on developers in the 2006 planning act can significantly improve the quality of applications. In some circumstances it may be possible for communities to engage with developers on the possible accrual of benefits, though it is worth stressing that each project must be considered on its own merit and such material considerations should not form part of the planning process.
Community engagement example "When residents of the village of Fintry in Stirlingshire first heard about plans for a wind farm in the hills above them, their reaction took the developer by surprise. Instead of opposing the scheme, the villagers asked the company to build an extra turbine and sell it to them to try to make the community one of the greenest in the UK. The Fintry turbine has now been operating for more than a year, and has already earned £140,000 for the villagers, money that has been put aside for energy efficiency schemes. Around half of the 300 households have already had roof and cavity wall insulation fitted, and some residents have seen their heating bills cut by hundreds of pounds a year. When the loan on the £2.5 million turbine is paid off, Fintry could be making up to £500,000 a year from the electricity its turbine feeds into the National Grid." The Guardian May 2009 |
In addition there is potential to develop local produced community heat networks especially in off gas grid areas. District heating is in its infancy in Scotland and there is a role for social landlords and/or Energy Service Companies ( ESCO's) to develop local renewable energy schemes.
Scottish Government support to date through the Scottish Community and Householders Renewables Initiative ( SCHRI) has resulted in over 400 community projects across Scotland. SCHRI has been revamped into the Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme ( CARES) and will seek to maximise community benefits from renewables in terms of community cohesion, energy security and alleviation of fuel poverty, as well as contributing towards renewable energy targets.
A key aspect of SCHRI which will continue in the revamped CARES is the support and advice that is available from a team of dedicated development officers who operate across Scotland. The role of the development officers is to work with community groups, at a local level, to help develop projects from the initial inquiry stage thorough to post installation. This advice service has been key to the success of SCHRI.
The Climate Challenge Fund of £27.4 million over three years (2008-2011), is successfully enabling communities across Scotland to deliver their own solutions towards carbon emissions reduction. Whilst the fund doesn't directly support energy generation equipment it can and has supported the crucial community engagement and feasibility stages of energy generation project. For contact details and advice on CCF visit: www.infoscotland.com/climatechallengefund
There is a strong contrast between rural and urban community renewables with differing solutions and target bodies. For example, in urban areas, bodies such as local authorities and health boards may be more of a target than in rural areas.
Case Study: Communities Benefiting from Renewables Aqualibrium Biomass Boiler Campbeltown had been without a swimming pool since 2002. The council decided that a new swimming pool would be combined with the library, and the Aqualibrium was conceived. The new flagship building was to be as environmentally sensitive where possible and wood fuel was chosen as the method to heat the facility. A biomass boiler was installed, with wood fuel being supplied from the local sawmill using their waste and unwanted timber from the local forest. A SCHRI grant of £85,731 helped made the project happen. Beattock Hall Heat Pump Project The Beattock Hall Committee were looking to install a more cost effective heating system in order to improve accessibility to the Hall to all community groups in Beattock. With the support of a SCHRI grant of £20,000, a 17kW heat pump system was installed, feeding a wet radiator system. |
Key Opportunities:
- signal commitment to community benefits from renewables by setting challenging targets under the CARES scheme for number of communities supported and other key metrics;
- carry out research to gain evidence of what community needs could be fulfilled by financial benefits obtained from renewable energy projects, use this to help communities understand the possibilities and set realistic expectations. This should also target commercial developers to establish whether there is a perception that community benefit via mixed ownership models is risky and consider any action necessary to promote greater engagement with communities;
- increase the capacity in communities to develop and own renewable projects across Scotland as groups through CARES; as householders through the Energy Saving Scotland - Home Renewables scheme; and as businesses through Energy Saving Scotland - Small Businesses scheme, Scottish Biomass Heat Scheme, and Scottish Rural Development Programme ( SURD);
- increase the number of community heat networks, particularly in off-gas grid areas;
- work with key stakeholder organisations to facilitate a high level of collaboration in order that communities are provided with clear and concise information on the various options for developing projects;
- consider the funding mechanisms available to support community renewable projects and seek to address specific gaps;
- facilitate the adoption of a strategic approach to planning, for a number of community projects being brought forward in the same geographical area;
- maximise the community benefits from renewables in the Western Isles through the implementation of an Action Plan.
Specific Actions: The Scottish Government will:
- continue to support community renewables via the CARES programme;
- establish a stakeholder group to ensure that the sector works in collaboration to provide a holistic approach to developing community projects in Scotland;
- lead the Western Isles Steering Group to maximise community benefits from renewables and to promote lessons learned from that process;
- aim to increase the number of district heating projects in off-gas grid areas;
- through the CARES contract, the delivery agency, Community Energy Scotland, seek to obtain economies of scale for communities group through the implementation of a bulk procurement strategy;
- develop strategic policy direction for microgeneration as part of Energy Efficiency Action Plan;
- continue supporting householders via Energy Saving Scotland - Home Renewables;
- review CARES and consider any changes needed in light of feed-in tariff and renewable heat incentive proposals for the UK.
Note that onshore wind community renewables projects are also covered in the onshore wind section as there is a degree of overlap in terms of some of the key actions and milestones which are relevant to all wind projects whether led by a community group or developer.
Framework for Action
Area | Milestone/Event/tasks | Timescale | Resource implications (e.g. staff and/or funding) |
|---|
Advice and support | - Delivery of CARES with inclusion of key targets
| | |
Advice and support | - Enhance Community Renewables Toolkit to provide summarised version and signposting to support organisations for different models
| | |
Strategic approach to obtaining planning consent. | - Where appropriate, facilitate at a local level a strategic approach to community groups obtaining planning consent with the aim of reducing costs for grid connection for community groups.
| | - Scottish Government; Community Energy Scotland ( CES); industry
|
Review the funding mechanisms available to support community renewables to identify any gaps. | - Review whether there is a need to provide early stage risk capital to help community projects to happen, particularly for those projects being developed by the co-op business model.
- Consider potential for credit guarantee scheme as a solution.
| | - Scottish Government; CES; Enterprise Networks
|
Interim evaluation of Communities And Renewable Energy Scheme | - Review CARES and consider any changes to retain best value for money and maximise delivery.
| | |
Supply chain | - As part of the CARES contract, CES to produce a bulk procurement strategy to provide a range of services, including, professional advice and capital equipment.
| | |
Maximise community benefits from onshore wind | - Progress with Ofgem on accreditation of wind-to-heat projects for Feed in Tariff.
| | |
Maximise community benefit | - Through the delivery of the CARES programme seek to maximise community benefit through:
- Increase community cohesion
- Skills development
- Jobs
- Local regeneration
| | |
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